Mnuchin late Wednesday punted on turning over the returns to Neal (D-Mass.), Who a week earlier demanded the IRS to deliver them by April 10. Mnuchin said he was consulting with Justice Department lawyers and could not satisfy Neal's demand in time. Neal is likely to send another letter Friday asking for returns, Pascrell (DN.J.) said.

"I want to take a look at the contempt at Congress here," Pascrell said, "because the way Mnuchin talked and the way He writes, he is very dismissive of the legislative branch of government, especially if that part of the legislative branch of government is controlled by the Democratic Party. "

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It is incumbent Congress to defend its constitutional prerogatives, Pascrell said.

He also questioned why Mnuchin responded instead of the IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, to which Neal sent his request. The Treasury secretaries have long been deferred to the head of the IRS on these matters, numerous Democratic congressional delegates have told Rettig in two days of testimony on Capitol Hill this week, but Rettig repeatedly said Treasury supervised the IRS.

Richie [Neal] made a request in a narrow fashion, right to the IRS commissioner, "Pascrell said. "Now that the IRS Commissioner has to stand up for America, or maybe he should leave his job if he can not."

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